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Introduction
Introduction
In this lesson, we will use informative and opinion-based sources to build knowledge around the reward systems of the brain, the economy of the video games industry and use examples of how some parents set rules for their children around screen time and video gaming.
The aim is to determine if there is a relationship between the brain and the video games industry and draw conclusions as to whom has the responsibility for the health of young people.
During this lesson, you will:
examine the science around video games and on the brain
consider the economic and social influences on video games and gamers
consider the position of some parents on their rules around screen time and video games and if their working role influences their decisions.
Activity 1 - Video games and the brain
Activity 1 - Video games and the brain
Our brains rely on chemistry to keep us functioning every day. Would it surprise you to know that our brains have a particular reaction to playing video games? If you’ve ever played any kind of electronic game (PC, console, mobile) you’ll know the tingling excitement you get from levelling up, unlocking a new feature or even finishing a tricky game. It’s a great feeling. There’s a neurological explanation for that rush: dopamine. Our brain responds to natural rewards, like food, sex, social interaction and does so by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is a really powerful learning signal which makes us want to repeat a behaviour.
Task 1
Task 1
Read the article Pleasure centre: how video games affect young brains (The Conversation) provided by your teacher.
Reflect on the following questions in your PDHPE workbook.
Are the pathways in the brain fixed or does it change over time?
At what point in the life cycle are the brain connections most likely to change?
What does the brain find rewarding?
What happens when the brain is rewarded?
What is happening in the brain when playing video games?
Think about the games you might play or games others have played. Are there rewards within those games?
What are they? Use examples in games you have played or seen
Over time, the brain can dampen down the dopamine system. In order to gain a similar amount of pleasure or enjoyment from gaming, what needs to happen?
Why do you think the participants of this study were between 12 and 16 years old?
Add what you’ve learned to your PMI chart
Task 2
Complete the multiple choice questions to check your understanding.
Activity 2 - The business of video gaming
Activity 2 - The business of video gaming
Video games are big business. A consumer should be aware of the influential techniques, such as pay per feature used by suppliers and players of video game-related products.
Task 1
Task 1
Look at the infographic and article The Rise of Gaming Revenue - Visual capitalist
Task 2
Task 2
Use the infographic to answer the following questions in your PDHPE workbook
What was the total value of gaming revenue in 2020?
What % of this was mobile gaming?
What does this tell you about the size of the video games market?
What prediction about the value of the video games business can you make based on the chart trends?
Task 3
Task 3
In the article read the section 2001 – Present
What are pay per feature games?
How do pay per feature games fast track to the brains reward system?
Suggest how pay per feature games might be risky for young people and their families.
How do video games allow the brain to respond to reward systems?
What connections can you make between the learning from video games and the brain and the business of video gaming?
From your experience, do gaming companies target young people?
What techniques do they use?
From your experience, do gaming companies protect young people?
What techniques do they use?
If you were to create a game for maximum profit, what techniques would you use?
Is there a responsibility of gaming companies to protect the health and wellbeing of young people?
CC0 Public Domain
Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2006, there were 225,300 jobs created which were all technology-related. The region and its surroundings are home to the most populated area of millionaire and billionaires, all wealth made from the technology and innovation industry.
Task 5
Task 5
What is the role of a parent?
What working role are these parents in?
What are their parenting rules around technology use and screen time?
Why do you think that they make these parenting rules?
What conclusions could you draw from these adults working roles and the rules that they set for their around technology and screen time?
Draw conclusions between the brain’s response to video gaming, the gaming economy, parenting decisions in Silicon Valley and the inclusion of sedentary time, screen time recommendations in Australian Guidelines for physical activity.
Handing in your work
Handing in your work
Don't forget to hand in the work you completed today!
Your teacher will have told you to do one of the following:
Upload any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your Learning Management system (MS Teams, Google Classroom for example).
Email any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your teacher.
Make sure you keep any hand written work you did in your exercise book or folder as your teacher may need to see these when you are back in class.
Student reflection
Student reflection
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